Does CBD Make You Feel Tired?

Those who have ever consumed marijuana might remember waves of sleepiness and brain fog…or maybe you don’t, depending on how much you enjoyed. If that sounds familiar, it’s likely THC, (tetrahydrocannabinol) that’s to blame. You see, THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana, but it also has other properties, including the ability to induce a sedative state. Now, that was all well and good when life was one big party. But it’s not exactly feasible in our grown-up world, where we constantly have to keep up with daily activities.

Of course, some people depend on marijuana for its other effects, including the feeling of calm its use often brings. But here’s the deal: you don’t need to be sedated for your brain to perform in a healthy and happy manner, or to be able to cope with stress. You can get where you want to be with a little help from other supplements, including cannabidiol (CBD), THC’s non-psychoactive counterpart. Both compounds are cannabinoids, naturally occurring elements of the cannabis plant. 

Unlike THC, CBD helps your body regulate an array of internal functions by interacting with your neurotransmitters. Because of these interactions, many CBD users report improved stress responses after using CBD. 

With that being said, we all have distinct experiences with substance consumption. Some say that CBD boosts their energy, while others report a chilled out feeling. But how should you expect to feel when you use CBD, and will CBD leave you feeling tired? We hope this read will you answer those questions…and more!

But First, What Is CBD?

Before we can understand if CBD makes you tired, we need to understand what CBD is. Also referred to as cannabidiol, CBD is a naturally occurring compound. It is part of the cannabinoids family, a group of chemicals found in cannabis plants. So far, we’ve identified over 100 different cannabinoids, including CBD and THC. But CBD is very different from cannabinoids like THC: it isn’t psychoactive, meaning it does not alter your mind, or give you the infamous ‘high’ achieved by consuming weed. According to WHO, CBD does not exhibit dependence or abuse potential, and up to date, there is no evidence that pure CBD causes any health-related problems. Cannabidiol is extracted from both the leaves and stems of cannabis plants, including industrial hemp, which is just a variety of the cannabis plant bred for its low THC and high CBD concentrations. In hemp plants, CBD is the most abundant cannabinoid, accounting for about 40% of the plants’ internal cannabinoids. 

How Does CBD Work?

Your body produces naturally occurring molecules known as endocannabinoids as part of your endocannabinoid system(ECS). These molecules bind to the cannabinoid receptors in your brain and body to induce the release of the chemical messengers that handle communication between your cells. The ECS plays a huge role in your body, including regulating processes like inflammation, pain response, stress, and sleep. CBD has a similar structure to the endocannabinoids your body produces and appears to interact with your cannabinoid receptors. 

Now, unlike THC, CBD doesn’t bind with cannabinoid receptors. Instead, it stimulates the action of CB1 and CB2 receptors without having to bind. Because of CBD’s interaction with the ECS, scientists are studying this compound, believing it has potential medicinal properties or therapeutic applications. In fact, CBD is currently one of the most researched compounds in clinical trials.

How to Use CBD

Ingested CBD

Consuming CBD by swallowing it means that the CBD passes through your digestive system, and is metabolized by the liver, sending the active compound to your bloodstream over the course of a few hours. CBD is often ingested in capsule form, or it can be added to food and beverages like coffee and gummies. 

Sublingual CBD

Another common form of CBD delivery is a tincture. You consume CBD tinctures by placing a few drops of the compound under your tongue and holding it there for several seconds. This allows the active CBD to directly enter your bloodstream, completely bypassing the digestion process. When you ingest a CBD tincture, your effects will appear sooner, which might make it an ideal form of CBD if you experience feelings of anxiety before a major event or speech. 

Topical CBD

Some skin products, such as salves and lotions, can also be infused with CBD. This form of CBD is best used if you hope to directly target and alleviate localized pain and inflammation. 

Inhaled CBD

You can inhale CBD by adding powder or oil in E-cigs or through vaporization. Inhaled CBD enters your system through the lungs, which gives a faster effect compared to ingestion. Due to this speed, vaping was a popular way to consume CBD. However, due to the many lung injuries related to vaping, you’re urged not to vape CBD. One look at the numbers should have you convinced: last year, there were over 800 reported cases of vaping-related lung injuries. 

Does CBD Make You Feel Tired or Sleepy?

The simple and straightforward answer is NO! If you ingest the product safely, using a reasonable dose and at the right time, you shouldn’t experience tiredness. So the question remains, why are people so confused as to whether or not CBD makes you tired?

One of the reasons is that research shows that cannabidiol may switch off a part of your brain that inhibits melatonin release, and that’s the hormone that helps in the early stages of sleep. During the day, your brain does not release melatonin, meaning there’s no issue with day-time CBD consumption. However, in the evening, your brain naturally prompts the body to release melatonin to prepare you for sleep after a long day. So, when you consume CBD in the evening, it is natural to feel tired, because that’s the time of day when your body should release melatonin. 

Now, it’s important to remember: CBD only works the way it should when you work with a high-quality product. After all, just like a fine liquor, CBD quality plays a major role in your overall experience with the product. Want to avoid the feeling of fatigue and tiredness? Simply invest in high-quality CBD. But how do you know that you are dealing with top of the line CBD products? The best CBD comes from the highest-quality buds. And these are are some aspects which can help you recognize quality CBD buds:

• No signs of seeds on the product
• A strong fragrance
• Visible crystal hairs collections
• High CBD content

Does CBD Help You Sleep?

So, we’ve already reviewed that using CBD during the day won’t make you sleepy. So, why do so many people talk about taking CBD to help with sleep? To understand the connection between CBD and sleep, you have to truly understand how your sleep cycle works. Throughout the night, your body goes through varying stages of sleep, such as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement or NREM. 

CBD is linked to improved sleep quality because it may help effectively target anxiety and stress, two of the most common culprits causing insomnia and poor sleeping habits. Ideally, when you use CBD and reduce stress, your body follows the natural sleeping rhythm, and in turn, you experience quality, restful sleep. 

As mentioned before, if you consume CBD several hours before bedtime, you will get the best results. Not only will your body release melatonin, but the CBD may also have a calming effect on your body, helping rid you of restless night thoughts that may keep you awake. 

Does Hemp Seed Oil Make You Sleepy?

Hemp seed oil may come from the cannabis plant, which is in the same family as marijuana, but it has an entirely different function. Marijuana is rich in THC, but hempseed contains higher levels of vitamins and proteins, with minimal THC and CBD. (CBD is sourced from the hemp plant’s flowers, where most cannabinoids are found.) And, no, it won’t make you sleepy. Nor will it deliver any other suggested effects of THC or CBD. 

Unfortunately, many manufacturers use the terms hemp oil interchangeably with CBD oil. But they are not the same product, and won’t deliver similar results. So be sure to check your labels carefully for actual CBD content before purchasing any product labeled 

If you are just getting into CBD, avoid the labels, and pay attention to the ingredients. 

So, Why Did CBD Make Me Tired?

As we’ve hinted throughout this article, your CBD experience all boils down to the quality of the product, and the time when you consume it. If you’re hoping to improve your sleep with CBD we recommend taking your dose in the evening. But if your CBD goals aren’t related to sleep, a day time dose may deliver greater satisfaction.